Walter Parks stops by Black Mountain

Singer-songwriter/blues guitarist Walter Parks can count Judy Collins among his fans. He’s been the lead guitarist for folk icon Richie Haves, half of The Nudes (with cellist Stephanie Winters) and front man for swamp-blues band Swamp Cabbage. But even with all of that (and a 30-year career in music) under his belt, Parks didn’t release a solo album until the end of last year.

According to his bio, Parks’ self-titled debut is “Inspired by the swampy gospel blues that wails from storefront churches and roadhouses in and around the southeast Georgia low country” and “full of boot-stomping, guitar-strumming tunes that explore matters of the soul and spirit, built upon a foundation of jazz and folk.”

Parks grew up in Jacksonville, Fla. (Swamp Cabbage incorporates a hefty dose of Florida’s surprisingly dark and bluesy underbelly) and started down a relatively staid path: He was in business suit when he dropped out to become a guitarist. He formed the Nudes in the early ‘90s and joined Richie Havens’ trio in the early 2000s, around the same time he started Swamp Cabbage. The latter released new album, Drum Roll Please, at the beginning of this month.

Parks plays a solo show at White Horse Black Mountain on Sunday, June 17. 7 p.m. $10 in advance of $12 at the door. Xpress will film a video interview with Parks on Sunday. Check back to view it.

About Alli Marshall

Alli Marshall is the arts writer and editor at Mountain Xpress. She's lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. Alli is the author of the upcoming novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," available from Logosophia Books in May, 2015. Follow me @alli_marshall